Combination individual-valve-unit pneumatic



Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,273.

A. RICCA.

COMBINATION INDIVIDUAL VALVE UNIT PNEUMATlC. FILED APR.21. I921- IN VENTOR.

Patented Feb. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES ANTONINO RICCA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINATION INDIVIDUAL-VALVE-UNIT PNEUMATIC.

Application filed April 21, 1921. Serial No. 463,349.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AN'roNrNo RIOCA, a subject of the King of Italy, anda resident of the city of New York, in the county of Bronx and State ofNew York, have invented certain new Combination Individual-Valve-UnitPneumatics, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of this invention is to provide a player action consistingof plurality of individual units complete in themselves and so mountedas to enable any one of the units to be displaced without disturbing anyother part, to provide adjustment of valve travel, to facilitateadjustment of sticker rod, and other advantages appearing as thespecification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown an example exemplifying theprinciples stated and in this drawing like reference-characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

The several figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:

Figure 1, is a plan view showing means adapted to fasten two units tothe player action,

Figure 2, is a front elevation, partly shown in section to disclose moreclearly the details of construction and Figure 3, is an enlarged viewpartly sectioned of the stem valve.

Referring to details in the drawing,

1 represents the cover or top section of a sectional casing, said coverhaving a port 1 and a cloth bushing 2 affixed thereto. 3 is a centerchamber section. having an aperture 4 carrying a bushing 5 aligning withthe port 1 of cover I. Said bushing 5 is of oblong shape to allow air tobe sucked through opening 4 of chamber 3, whenever the valve 6 is causedto rise. Center chamber 3 is hollowed out to connect aperture 1, withport 7, which in turn aligns with passage 8 of wind chest 9.

A flexible diaphragm or pouch 10, is mounted upon pouch section 11, andcarries a button 12. Connecting with pouch section 11 is a passage 13,connected in turn with tube 14 leading to usual tracker board. Pouchsection 11 and passage 13, are normally exhausted by means of bleed hole15, leading into the hollow of chamber 3. (Fig. 2.)

and useful Improvements .in 1

Upon the threaded part of the stem of valve 6, are screwed three disksglued together, the outer disks 16, 17, being of cloth and)the centerdisk 18, of fiber. (Figures 2-3.

In operation the valve disks can be easily lowered or raised by pullingthe stem of valve 6 tight against the inner face of cover 1, and turningit respectively from left to ri ht or vice versa.

neumatic 19 rigidly attached to pouch section 11, by means of yoke 20carries a pivoted finger 21, having a screw 22 butting against flange ofyoke 20; and a leaf spring 23 to, regulate tension of adjustment.

Spring 24 rigidly secured to cover 1, by sliding under the adjustableheaded member or screw 25 of wind chest 9, holds one vah'e unit firm tosaid wind chest 9. Clamp 26 by means of spring 27 and screw 28, rigidlyholds two valve units to the wind chest 9, as shown in Figure 1.

In operation the pneumatic 19 stands in the position shown in Fig. 2.However, when the music sheet uncovers the port corresponding with tube14 a puff of air is admitted under the diaphragm 10. Owing to thepartial vacuum existing in the chamber 3, the atmospheric pressureadmitted in the pouch section 11 raises the valve 6 closing port 1 ofcover 1, and by means of channels 29, 30, 31, connects the interior ofpneumatic 19 with the wind chest 9.

The vacuum thus produced in the pneumatic 19, collapses the same and bymeans of finger 21 and adjusting screw 32 raises the sticker rod 33operating the rest of the piano action and sounding a note.

Having thus described the invention, what- I claim is:

1.. In a player action, the combination of a wind chest, a plurality ofindividual player units each complete in itself and comprising a valvecasing and pneumatic, independent means for detachably securing eachunit to said wind chest, and common means for holding groups of saidunits against a face of said wind chest.

2. In a player action, the combination of a wind chest, an individualplayer unit comprising a valve casing and pneumatic. and means fordetachably securing said unit to said wind chest comprising anadjustable headed member attached to one of said mem bers and a platefastened to the other of said members and having a slotted end portionfor cooperation with said adjustable headed member.

'3. In a player action the combination of a Wind chest, an individualplayer unit comn'ising a valve casing and pneumatic,means for detachablysecuring said unit to said Wind chest, and means for pressing said unitagainst a face of said Wind chest comprising, a clamp element secured toone of said mem bers, a spring interposed between said element and theother of said members, and means carried by said element for adjustingthe tension of said spring.

4;. In a player action, the combination of a wind chest, a plurality ofplayer units each complete in itself and comprising 21 valve casing andpneumatic, independent means for detachably securlng each oi: said unitsto said Wind chest, and common means for pressing groups of said unitsagainst a face of said Wind chest comprising a clamp element secured tosaid Wind chest, a spring interposed between said element and said unitsand engaging each of the latter and means carried by said element foradjusting;

:BARTOLOMIQO Loves ALroNso l /IARTNO.

